Rail anchor



Aug. 4, 1931.

anchor constructed in acct.

Patented Aug. 4, 1931 NETE@ STATES EATQT @FFECE FREBERICK A. PRESTON, CIF LAKE FOREST, ILL'NOS, ASSIGNOR '10 TEE P & 1:1 COM- PANY, OF CHCAGO, ELLENOS, A CORPORATON OF ILLINOES RAIL ANCHOR Application filed. July 8, 1929.

My invention relates to rail anchors for resisting longitudinal movement of railroad rails.

One of the. principal objects of the inven tion is to provide an efficient one-piece rail anchor which can be formed, by simple bending a part of the rail, with which a base flange embracing clip has a positive snap lock engagement, but which permits adjustment of the clip longitudinally of the rail. 1t will be observed, however, that the invention is not limited to a` snap lock engagement with the rail, but contemplates any positive interlock with the rail, which may be brought about by movement of the clip to its applied position, regardless of the direction of said applying movement. A further more specific object is to provide an anchor of the above character which, in addition to exerting a strong spring grip on the top and bottom surfaces of one base iiange, so cooperates with a locking means on said flange hat pressure of either end portion of the clip aga-inst a cross tie tends to swing it about a. vertical axis and thereby produces a shackle gripping action of the clip on the locking` bead and the adjacent vertical edge surface of the rail and which also makes it practicable to form the clip of such thickness as to take advantage of the additional @ripping force produced by the tendency which the pressure of the clip against a cross tie may have to tilt it about its horizontal axis. Preferably, however, there is no act-ual movement of the clip about its horizontal axis, nor about its vertical axis, but only a tendency to move,

a5 by which the shackle and tilting grips above noted are produced.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view through the base portion of a railroad rail showing a. rail ance with my Serial N0. 376,544.

invention, hooked over one base flange of the rail in one position which it assumes during its application to the base Hanne.

g. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the rail gripping member in its fully applied position.

Fi 3 is a plan view of the anchor device, as shown in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a` view illustrating a slightly modified construction of gripping member applied to the base portion of a railroad rail.

In the drawings, 10 designates a railroad rail and 11, one of the cross ties or other stationary part of a road-bed. The rail anchor of my invention shown in the drawings is preferably a one-piece device made by pressing a metal bar of suitable thickness to provide a clip adapted to embrace one base flange only of the rail. The clip consists of a lower jaw 11, an upper jaw 12, and a vertical portion 13 for connecting the upper and lower jaws. rihe lower jaw 11 is preferably, though not necessarily, straight, so as to bear throughout its length, against the bottom surface 14 of the rail base. However, the j aw 11 may be formed to bear against the bottom of the rail at any point beneath the jaw 12 and the end portion thereof bent downwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, to provide a tie bearing face having greater vertical dimension than the width of the bar from which the rail embracing member is formed. The upper jaw 12 extends, preferably, at an angle corresponding to the inclination of the marginal upper surface of thc base fiange and is formed on its bottom surface with a recess 15 adapted to interlock with a bead 16 welded on the top surface of the rail base flange engaged. The said bead, shown in the drawings, is wedge shaped in cross-section transversely of the rail, thereby providing a cam surface 17 over which the end of the jaw 12 will slide when the anchor is driven transversely of the rail from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. Preferably the recess 15 corresponds substantially to the cross-sectional contour of the bead 16 so as to provide the aw 19, with bearing surfaces 18 and 19 for. engagement with the top surface of the rail, base at opposite sides of the bead 16. If

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desired, the bearing surface 19 may be omitted and thereby confine the engagement of the upper jaw to the bearing surface 18. lNith such construction, the anchor will be suitable for application to over size rails, without danger of subjecting the jaw to eX- cessive distortion and at the same time insure a firm bearing of the upper jaw at its inner extremity.

There are two ways in'which the anchor heren shown may be applied to the base p0rtion of a rail. It may be applied by driving it transversely of the rail from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this manner of application, the jaws 11 and 12 are spread apart slightly as the surface 18 is forced over the inclined surface 17 of the bead on the rail. As soon as the should r 2G of jaw 12 clears the inner edge of the bead 16, it snaps into interlocking engage in ent with the bead, so as to prevent movement of the rail gripping member in the direction from which it was driven` As an alternative, the rail gripping member may be driven into gripping engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base at a point where the jaw 12 will clear the end of the bead 16.

' Interlocking engagement of the bead 16 and C D C the shoulder 2O may "e then effected by driving the anchor longitudinally of the rail.

When the rail eri mino' member is in its applied position, its resilient grip will maintain it in proper position on the rail and resist the longitudinal creeping force on the rail.

The pressure of the tie-abutting portion against the tie, that is to say, the tendency which such force may have to tilt the anchor about a horizontal axis transversely of the rail, will increase the gripping action of the anchor on the top and bottoni surfaces of the rail base.` Preferably, the jaws 11 and 12 are made of sufficient width to avoid any actual tilting, in the above manner, but at the saine time are sufficiently narrow in width to take advantage of the above Aservice conditions and provide the increased gripping force on the top and bottom surfaces of the rail base. The anchor also develops another grip yunder certain service conditions, for eX- aniple, when the aw 11 bears at one end only against a cross tie, a creeping pressure on the rail tends to rotate the clip about a vertical axis and thereby exerts a shackle grip on the inner edge of the bead 16 and the adjacent vertical edge surface 21 of the base flange of the rail. The bead 16 is preferably of sufficient length to permit the Vgrijiping niember to be adjusted longitudinally of the rail so as to insurea firm bearing ofthe tie abutment against an adjacent cross tie. It will also be apparent that when the anchor ris, applied by driving it longitudin'ally of' the rail in the manner above set forth, the wedging surface of the bead 16 may extend longitudinally of the rail so as to insure a firm grip of the inner edge of the portion 16 against the edge 21 of the rail and also by an increase in the height of the bead 16 to insure maximum spring pressure of the jaws 11 and 12.

While I have illustrated my invention in connection with one specific embodiment and have noted certain changes in the construction which would be obvious to persons familiar with this particular art, itpwill be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction shown or described, eX- ceptin so far as specific limitations appear in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a railroad, rail, the base portion of which is provided with a shoulder, and a base flange embracing clip provided with jaws adapted to grip the top and bottom surfaces of said base flange, one of said jaws being formed with a shoulder adapted to interlock with the shoulder on said base flange to maintain said clip in its applied position.

2. In combination, a railroad rail, the base portion of which is provided with a shoulder, and means for engagement with a stationary part of the road-bed and having gripping engagement with said base flange and said shoulder to resist longitudinal movement of the rail.

3. In combination, a railroad rail, the base 'portion of which is provided with a shoulder,

and ineans for engagement with a stationary part of the road-bed and having gripping engagement with said shoulder and with one edge portion of said base flange to resist longitudinal movement of the rail.

l. In combination, a railroad rail, the base portion of which is provided with a shoulder, and means for engagement with astationary part of the road-bed and having a shackle gripping engagement with said shoulder and an edge portion of said base flange.

5. In combination, a railroad rail provided with a` bead welded to one flan ge thereof, and a base flange embracing member comprising upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of said base flange; one of said aws being provided with means for interlocking with said bead to maintain the embracing member in its operative position on the rail. A

6. In combination, a railroad rail provided with a bead welded to one fiange thereof, and a resilient base flange embracing member comprising upper and lower jaws for resiliently gripping the top and bottom surfaces of said base flange; one of said jaws being provided with means for interlocking' with said bead to maintain the embracing member in its operative positon on `the ral.

7. In a combination, a. railroad rail pro videdwith a bead weldedto one flange there of, and a tie abutting and base flange embracing member comprising upper and lower jaws for gripping the top and bottom surfaces of said base flange; one of said jaws being provided with means for interlocking with said bead to maintain the embracing member in its operative position on the rail.

8. In combination, a railroad rail provided with a wedge sha Jed bead welded to one flange thereof, and a base flange einbracing member adapted to be driven over said bead to its normally applied position on the rail and comprising upper and lower jaws,

one of which is provided with means forinterlocking with said bead to maintain the embracing member in its applied position on the rail.

9. In combination, a railroad rail provided with a bead, wedge shaped in cross section transversely of the rail, welded on one flange thereof, and a. clip provided with upper and lower jaws adapted to be driven transversely of the rail into gripping engagement with said base flange, one of said jaws boing formed with a shoulder adapted to be forced over said bead and interlock therewith, to maintain the clip in its applied position.

10. In combination, a railroad rail provided with a bead welded on one flange thereof, and a clip provided with upper and lower jaws adapted to be driven transversely of the rail into gripping engagement with the base flange, the said upper jaw being formed with a shoulder adapted to be forced over said bead and interlocked therewith to maintain the clip in its applied position.

11. In combination, a railroad rail provided with a bead, wedge shape in cross section transversely of the rail, welded on the inclined upper surface of one flange thereof, and a clip provided with upper and lower jaws adapted to be driven transversely of the rail into gripping engagement with said base flange, the said upper jaw being formed with a shoulder adapted to be forced over said bead and interlocked therewith and provided also with surfaces for bearing against the top surface of said flange at opposite sides of said bead.

12. In combination, a railroad rail provide-d with a bead welded to one flange thereof, and a clip adapted to be flexed over said bead into gripping engagement with the top and surfaces of said base flange and into interlocking engagement with said bead.

13. In a rail anchor, the combination with a railroad rail, one flange of which is formed with a shoulder on one surface thereof, of a rail flange engaging clip provided with tie engaging means and with means for interlocking with said shoulder.

14. In a rail anchor, the combination with a railroad rail, one flange of which is provided on its upper surface with a shoulder, of a rail flange engaging clip comprising upper and lower jaws for resiliently gripping the top and bottom surfaces of said base flange; the upper aw being recessed to provide an interlocking engagement with said shoulder and the said lower jaw being adapted to bear against a cross tie.

15. A rail anchor comprising a member provided with jaws for engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of one base flange of a rail, and means welded on said base flange for locking said jaw member on the rail with capacity for adjustment of said member longitudinally of the rail.

1G. A rail anchor comprising a member provided with jaws for engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of one base flange of a rail, and means welded on said base flange for movably interlocking one of said jaws with said flange, whereby movement of the jaw member about a vertical axis effects a shackle grip of said member on the said welded means and the vertical edge portion of the rail.

17. A rail anchor for engagement with one flange only of a rail base comprising a member provided with jaws for engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of said base flange, and means welded on said base flange for movably interlocking said jaw member with said base flange.

18. A rail anchor provided with aws for engagement with the top and bottom surfaces of a rail base flange and means pro viding a shoulder on a portion of the rail base for locking said jaw member on the rail with capacity for adjustment longitudinally of the rail.

FREDERICK A. PRESTON. 

